ANALYSIS ON STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOR OF CLAMPS SYSTEM USING CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMER: A FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS APPROACH
In the oil and gas industry, conventional metal repair clamps are widely used for pipeline maintenance, but they often face limitations regarding weight, corrosion resistance, and ease of installation. This study explores the development of a novel repair clamp utilizing Carbon Fiber Reinforced Poly...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English English |
| Published: |
2024
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| Online Access: | http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/12603/ |
| Abstract | Abstract here |
| Summary: | In the oil and gas industry, conventional metal repair clamps are widely used for pipeline maintenance, but they often face limitations regarding weight, corrosion resistance, and ease of installation. This study explores the development of a novel repair clamp utilizing Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) as an alternative to traditional metal-based solutions. CFRP, known for its high strength-to-weight ratio and exceptional resistance to environmental degradation, offers promising advantages for pipeline repair applications. The research involves the design, fabrication, and testing of CFRP repair clamps to evaluate their performance compared to conventional metal clamps. The encapsulator clamp was selected as the existing repair clamp for this case study using a weighted decision matrix. Three new CFRP repair clamps (Design A, B, and C) were designed, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was completed for all the existing and new clamps under four different inner stresses: 0.68 MPa, 1.97 MPa, 5.65 MPa, and 19.65 MPa, for performance comparison. The analysis indicates that the new design clamps can nearly match the stress exertion of the current clamps. The encapsulator clamp withstands a maximum pressure of 154.4 MPa, while the newly designed clamps withstand maximum pressures of 164.2 MPa for Design A, 157.4 MPa for Design B, and 165.6 MPa for Design C, based on a 0.86 MPa inner pressure. Mass analysis shows that the encapsulator clamp weighs 59.88 kg, while the newly designed clamps weigh 6.0 kg, 10.01 kg, and 6.75 kg for Designs A, B, and C, respectively. Among the new designs, Design B is the most effective replacement for the existing clamp, as it exerts only an additional 1.95% more pressure and weighs 83.23% less compared to the encapsulator clamp. Thus, Design B is a better replacement for the existing clamp. The findings suggest that CFRP repair clamps not only meet but potentially exceed the performance metrics of metal clamps, providing a more lightweight and corrosion-resistant solution for pipeline maintenance. |
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